get-out-of -jail-free-card This is an element of the popular board game, Monopoly. The card is thrown to keep the player from entering jail. It is used in colloquial terms, as a metaphor for having a fail-safe back up plan.
Cicular metropolis of Ancient Baghdad Baghdad was founded in the eighth century as the capital of Abbasid. Abbasid was an Arab dynasty which succeeded the Islamic prophet Mohammad. The circular metropolis was the original center of the empire where the ruling government lived.
Merlons and embrasures Merlons are the tall upright portions of a battlement, or fortress wall. They provide cover for defending soldiers to attack oncoming assaults in some semblance of safety.Embrasures are the tiny slits in merlons for safer viewing purposes.
Veta, Betelgeuse, Rigel, Algebar, Deneb, Acrab, Kitalpha While these may be words that would be translated into English (Algebar to Algebra), they are more commonly known as stars. These stars were given their names during the Golden age Arabic astronomy.
Roman numerals . . .I,II,III,IV,V This is the roman system of numbers which correspond to 1,2,3,4,5 in the Western counting system (See Arabic Numerals). The Romans established an additive and subtractive system which can be seen in the numbers four and six. Four is one MINUS five, or IV. Six is one PLUS five, or VI.
Arabic Numerals Arabic numerals are a set of values based on the Hindu-Arabic numeral system. What is not commonly known is that this system is very familiar to most countries. The set of ten values reads: 0, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9.
Algebra . . .Algorithm . . . Many popular English words are derived from the Arabic language. Algebra comes from the Arabic word al-jabr meaning reunion of pieces. Algorithms are specifications of how to solve a class of problems. See the most popular English words with Arabic roots.
Hamid al-Ghazali Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ghazālī was conisdered one of the most influential Muslims to have ever lived. He was a theologian who some considered to be the “renewer of faith”. He heavily criticized science, often clashing with the modern theories about science and creation. Check out this interesting article regrading Ghazali and the decline of Muslim scientific thought.
Plato Plato was a famous Greek philosopher who founded the Academy in Athens. Plato’s philosophical theories are still popular today. Some of his most famous quotes are:
- Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools, because they have to say something.
- We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.
Aristotle Aristotle was a famous Greek philosopher and scientist. His philosophies would become the basis for Christian teachings and early Islamic traditions. Unlike many philosophic ideas from the pre-enlightenment era, Aristotelian concepts continued to thrive and are still considered prevalent, today.
Madrid Declaration on Science and Life The Madrid Declaration on Science and life was a meeting held by the World Federation of the Catholic Medical Associations. It is a gathering held to examine the possible abuse of science and technology, and what can be changed to better protect human rights. See Transhumanism.
World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations This is an organization whose main focus is fostering medical and social care that follows the guidelines provided by the Catholic religion. In addition, the association bears Catholic teachings down upon scientific research. Their gatherings focus mainly on discussing ethical issues and protecting human rights.
Texas’s Superconducting Super Collider The Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) was nicknamed the Desertron due to the halt in its construction because of budget issues. The SSC was set to be the largest particle accelerator on the planet. Its construction site was located in the area of Waxahachie, Texas.
America’s Bible Belt The Bible Belt is term for the southeast and south-central states which exhibit a large population of conservative, church-going citizens. The church has an important role in everything from politics to education.
The God Particle Originally named Higgs Boson, this particular particle may be used to explain why everything has mass, and by connection how the universe began. Check out this video below regarding the God Particle.
Transhumanism Transhumanism is a movement that focuses on the belief that humans in their current form are only an early phase of our full development. the movement has been gaining ground over the past two decades.